Paul Gauguin @ the National Gallery of Art

After getting my oil changed, I drove into D.C. to visit the Paul Gauguin exhibit at the National Gallery of Art.

The title: Gauguin: Maker of Myth sets the stage for the scholarship under pinning the selection and arrangement of works. Unfortunately, the galleries were rather crowded and thus contemplation of themes gave way to simply experiencing the paintings and objects as they presented themselves. I have until June 5th to get back and spend more time exploring the themes, and by then I will have had the luxury of reading the catalogue, too.

The first painting you see is this self-portrait--the first of many throughout the exhibition. He liked himself.

One thing about going to a show that draws from many other museums, you run into "old friends." I reconnected with familiar works from the Tate in London, the MOMA in New York, and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts. And then there are friends you think you've seen before like this painting, but since I've never been to the National Gallery of Scotland, we either met at some other venue or its publication is so well known to me that I've a false memory of seeing it in the flesh before. Either way, we're acquainted now.

I know Gauguin is most known for his Tahitian paintings, but for me, I love his sill lifes the most.

This one is called a still life, but for heaven's sake there are three live little puppies in it! I think it's a new genre: Puppies.

After being benignly attacked by a religious zealot from Virginia, this painting now has its own personal guard. Sign of the times, go where the terrorists have been and ignore where they might go in the future.... The guard had a good sense of humor about his assignment.



Besides the paintings there were many works in wood, some prints and some ceramics created by Gauguin sprinkled throughout the exhibition. Here are some examples.


Yes, he actually carved his own pair of sabots.


This is the "Peace" half of a pair of panels entitled, "War & Peace."

This vase is another example of a self-portrait of the artist. The head is meant to resemble one that has been decapitated. The blood red glaze not unintentional--perhaps he didn't like himself all the time....